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Topic: I Hit a Turkey Vulture This Morning (Read 1919 times)

It was 6am, still a bit dark outside. I had my brights on and I saw a turkey vulture in the middle of the road, didn't slow down because they always fly off before you get near them. I was only going 40 mph, no big deal. When I got so close I thought I was going to run it over, it finally took off but it was flying really low, and right in front of me and I slowed down, swerved to the left (it swerved to the left, too) and BOOM! right on my windshield. I stopped.

Now, I don't know if anyone here has seen one before (up close, and personal) but they are really big birds. I thought it was dead. Before I was going to push it off my windshield I thought I'd get a picture, so I took out my phone. It was still dark out, and I could barely see, and I accidentally hit the capture button and it flashed, and the bird came too and came toward me.

Funny enough, I wasn't scared but I wasn't stupid either, and I got right back into my car. It flapped its huge wings at my driver's door, and then I started the car, which did not scare it away, and proceeded to my destination. It followed me to the bridge (3 miles away) where it then flew off, I'm guessing, when a semi truck was coming from the other direction. Still nighttime, at that point.

Nam, it is clear as turkey vulture shit. The bird was demon possessed. That is why it was out at night and why it came back to life and went after you. You are damn lucky it did not catch up to you. But I would smear sheep blood over my front door stoop tonight just in case. Would not be surprised in the least if it shows up at your place. I don't mean to scare you but this is some powerful shit. Do you have a living will, a will, and some notification of next of kin?

There are often wakes of turkey buzzards roaming the roads in the early morning hours where I live. Maybe that is their MO? I can say I have never seen just one - always in groups. Maybe it had nibbled on some sour apples and was a little tipsy or, Thor forbid, rabid??You could have been a story link we put up, if you were not careful...

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If xian hell really exists, the stench of the burning billions of us should be a constant, putrid reminder to the handful of heavenward xians how loving your god is. - neopagan

Nam, it is clear as turkey vulture shit. The bird was demon possessed. That is why it was out at night and why it came back to life and went after you. You are damn lucky it did not catch up to you. But I would smear sheep blood over my front door stoop tonight just in case. Would not be surprised in the least if it shows up at your place. I don't mean to scare you but this is some powerful shit. Do you have a living will, a will, and some notification of next of kin?

No, no, and...no. I ain't afraid of no bird. Not big bird, not Turkey dinner bird.

There are often wakes of turkey buzzards roaming the roads in the early morning hours where I live. Maybe that is their MO? I can say I have never seen just one - always in groups. Maybe it had nibbled on some sour apples and was a little tipsy or, Thor forbid, rabid??You could have been a story link we put up, if you were not careful...

Yeah, they are usually in groups, or pairs. This one was alone. Perhaps it was an outcast. Wouldn't share its roadkill.

Was kind of weirded out when I saw one settle on some roadkill in Mount Vernon section of Baltimore City. Seriously, the Middle of the damn city, and in the Highest Class and Gayest district....a buzzard in the middle of the road.

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An Omnipowerful God needed to sacrifice himself to himself (but only for a long weekend) in order to avert his own wrath against his own creations who he made in a manner knowing that they weren't going to live up to his standards.

Was kind of weirded out when I saw one settle on some roadkill in Mount Vernon section of Baltimore City. Seriously, the Middle of the damn city, and in the Highest Class and Gayest district....a buzzard in the middle of the road.

Okies call them buzzards... my bad, for interjecting the local vernacular.

Nam, you'll like this one - there's a town in OK they call "Miama" - I realized they were talking about Miami... it is spelled just like the FL city. Not surprised they screw it up here, given it is an indian tribe name.

Logged

If xian hell really exists, the stench of the burning billions of us should be a constant, putrid reminder to the handful of heavenward xians how loving your god is. - neopagan

Okies call them buzzards... my bad, for interjecting the local vernacular.

Nam, you'll like this one - there's a town in OK they call "Miama" - I realized they were talking about Miami... it is spelled just like the FL city. Not surprised they screw it up here, given it is an indian tribe name.

Hey, Florida has a Beverly Hills, and Hollywood. It also has a city named Jupiter, Howey-in-the-hills, and two towns in North Florida with the same name (though one is unincorporated).

Cool story, Nam. Given that the bird had the chutzpah to chase after you and fly away, I'm hoping he / she got away with minor injuries.

We have 'em in my part of California, too. And yeah, they're big. Usually they ride the thermals so high you don't have anything to compare their relative size to, but they're impressive. Even handsome, from a respectful distance.

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Live a good life... If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid.--Marcus Aurelius

Have yinz been watching the "Earthflight" series currently airing on PBS? It's a series, of unknown length, of the world from a bird's eye view. Literally. Very good programming, IMO.

My wife of the time and I were driving to Grandmother's house in Patagonia a few years back, going ~55mph on some 2 lane blacktop just south of Tucson, when my truck got hit by an animal that left a very perfect dustprint on the windsheild. My wife looks at me, tears welling in her eyes, bottom lip quivering....so I says...

I think Nam is on to something here - this morning I had to stop for a rafter of wild turkeys prancing about in the road. I could have provided Thanksgiving dinner for half the street, had I plowed on through.

Logged

If xian hell really exists, the stench of the burning billions of us should be a constant, putrid reminder to the handful of heavenward xians how loving your god is. - neopagan

I think Nam is on to something here - this morning I had to stop for a rafter of wild turkeys prancing about in the road. I could have provided Thanksgiving dinner for half the street, had I plowed on through.

If these vultures were normal turkeys I'd be right there with you but Turkey Vultures are a protected bird. It's a crime to kill them without a special permit.